Slide joint



Patented Aug. l, 1950 atrasos l This invention relates to a new andimproved slide joint and more particularly and specifically to' al slidejoint structure adapting two members to be interconnected at a xed orvariable angle.

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a slidejoint which adapts two'members to be `positioned in any desired fixed 1or variable angular relationship to one another throughout the fulllength of each member.`

Another object of this invention resides in the provision -of aslidejoint o 'the character described which would be highly usefulin appli`cationto the construction of protractors, adjustable squares, triangularcomputors, stretching frames and many other tools, machines andinstruments requiring sliding engagement.

Still another `object of this invention is the provision of a slidejoint of the character` de-` scribed which is quickly vand easilyoperable to place the two members in any desired angular relationship,either fixed or variable, and which isiof extremely simple andinexpensive design and durable and long-lasting in use.

'Furtherobjects and advantages of this inven-j tionwill readily appearto `those skilledfin the art when thefollowing description is read inthe light of the accompanying drawings in which:

Figjl is a top plan view of two members slidably secured at rightangles.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section taken on line 2 2.

Fig. 3 shows the arrangement for right angular positioning.

Fig. 4 illustrates the means for unlimited angular positioning.

Fig. 5 illustrates a definite angular position.

Fig. 6 illustrates a limited variable angular positioning.

Figs. 7, 8, 8A, 9 and 10 illustrate various possible applications ofthis slide joint.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate the possible application of this type slidejoint to protractors and geometrical instruments.

Fig. 13 illustrates the coverage of a great circle by the use of acombination of these slide joints.

The present invention is particularly concerned with a connectingelement for interconnecting two elongated members angularly disposedrelative to each other for relative sliding movement.

Essentially the improved connecting element comprises two spaced-apartheads or head p0rtions connected together by a reduced stem so that theyare substantially parallel and rotation- SLIDE g101m: i Henry Hari-s,Flushing,.N. Y. A Application January 17, 19474Se1rial No. 722,562

` 1 claim. (c1. 2st-'49ml i .i

` ally disposed relative to each other to position the two elongatedmembers inter-connected thereby at the desired angular relationship.

l The elongated members A and B are nat mem-f bers, each having twointernal grooves, `oneE adjacent. each edge thereof, and alongitudinalopening in one side communicating with bothf grooves to` provide amember havingA a slot of somewhat T-shaped crossfsection The twcr`grooves slidably receivethe opposite edges. of'a= connecting elementhead` andthe stem ofthe.l connecting element extends through `thelongif' tudinal opening in the elongated member.v The connecting elementmay assume various specicshapes some of which aretillustratedinj' aresubstantially parallel, concentric and per-"i pendicular `to eachother.These' heads are spaced apartand interconnected by a sternd,` preferablyof circular cross-section although it may have a square orrectangular'shape, as illustratedr in`Fi`gure `10,*orV any other* desiredcross-sectional shape. The stem has a diameter less tlianthe width'ofthe two headsand such as to slide :freely` in the'longitudinal openingsof thetwo` elongated members Aland B and thc length of the'stemv issuchas to hold the adjacentI slotted sides offthe twof elongatedmembersjsubf'A stantially in contacti The heads have a width"4 providinga close sliding t in the T-shaped slots of the elongated members and alength suicient to preclude any turning of the elongated members on therespective heads.

The form of the invention shown in Figure 5 is the same as that shown inFigure 3, except that the two heads are disposed at an angle of otherthan QO-degrees to each other to hold the two elongated members in adesired angular relationship other than relatively perpendicular.

In Figure 4 one of the heads, as designated at I5, is made circular toprovide for free rotational movement of one of the elongated membersrelative to the other about the center of the stem.

In Figure 6 one of the heads, I6, is modied to a pointed, somewhatelliptical shape to provide free rotational movement of thecorresponding elongated member through an angle of approximatelySiO-degrees while precluding complete rotation of such member about thecenter of the corresponding stem.

Figure 7 shows a modified connecting element location, as illustrated,or at some other desiredlocation, to secure the two heads 20 and 2ltogether in any desired angular relationship, such as the right-anglerelationship illustrated.

The modiiied connecting element shown in Figure 9 comprises a cubicleblock 23 having two pair of ribs thereon with one pair disposed adjacenteach of two opposite ends of the block. The ribs 24 of one pair areprovided one on each of two opposite sides of the block near thecorresponding end of the block and the ribs 25 of the.

other pair are provided one on each of the two remaining sides near theopposite end of the block. The slots in the elongated members will, ofcourse, be shaped to correspond to the ribbed end portions of block 23.

The protractor instrument illustrated in Figure l2 hasY a number of barswhich are slidably, interconnected and can be arranged to locate variouspoints and directions on a chart and the angular intervals between suchpoints and directions.

This instrument is illustrative of the application` of the connectingelements hereinabove described and includes a plurality of elongatedmembers, as indicated at 26, 21, 28 and 29. Members 26, 28 and 29 arepivotally secured together at corresponding ends, as indicated at 30,members 2S and 29 are slidably and rotationally connected to member 21by connectors Il, as illustrated in Figure 4, and member 28 is slidably,but non-rotationally connected to member 21 by a connecting element,such as shown in Figure 3.

Fig. 11 illustrates the use of a denite angular head in a protractorwhere the elongated cross members 8 and 9 of the protractor are slidablyconnected together by a connecting element which holds the elongatedmembers at a set and predetermined angle to one another.

Fig. 12 discloses a multiple protractor' useful as a navigationinstrument to plot great circle courses, as shown in Figure 13.

It can thus be readily seen that a wide range and variety of headconstructions have been and can be perfected for desired positioning ofthe two members A and I relative to one another.

It may also be seen that a means of forming a slide joint between twomembers having unlimited possibilities in application to manyinstruments and machines has been provided by this invention.

Consequently having thus described and explained this invention and withfull conviction that any modifications or alterations in size, shape andconguration and means of application to .variousinstruments and machineswould not in any'way'depart from the spirit of this invention what Idesire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

iA connecting element for slidably interconnecting two -crossedwovenelongated members each provided with a longitudinal slot opening to oneside of the member comprising a pair lof substantially parallel,concentric heads each slidably receivable in a corresponding elongatedmember slot and disposed at right angles to eachj other, each of saidheads comprising an elongated.. prism of square cross-section havingalong oner edge thereof a rib of rectangular cross-section. said ribsbeing secured together at their midlength locations to interconnect saidhead prismsv against relative rotational movement.

HENRY HARRS.

REFERENCES CITED Theffollowing references are of record in the tile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,066,255` Dempsey i-. Dec. 29,1936 2,340,911 Urbain Feb. 8, 194:4A 2,277,703 Kennedy et al Mar.' 31,1942 2,435,256 Whitmore Feb. 3, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date572,592 Great Britain 0f 19.45v

